Colostomy aid



March 3, 1954 M. A. TURNER COLOSTOMY AID Filed March 6, 1961 INVENTORMable A. Turner @WMWWQ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,123,074 COLOSTOMYAID Mable Alice Turner, 204 Sandra Drive, Azle, Tex. Filed Mar. 6, 1961,Ser. No. 93,743 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-283) This invention relates to anaccessory for the use of colostomy patients, and it concerns moreparticularly a tubular fitting, adapted to be Worn by the patient, whichnormally provides a closure for the abdominal opening while at the sametime providing convenient, sanitary means for attachment of an elongatedtube for use in irrigating the colon.

A colostomy is a surgical repair procedure which involves a shorteningof the colon, normal use of the rectal opening being discontinued and anew opening for the colon being provided in the 'front wall of theabdomen.

Colostomy patients may experience considerable annoyance andembarrassment for the reason that they have no control over the passingof gases or other fluids through the abdominal opening.

An object of this invention is to provide an accessory for the use ofcolostomy patients comprising a relatively short tubular connectingmember, adapted to be worn by the patient and normally having one of itsends seated on the body of the patient, surrounding the abdominalopening, the opposite end of the connecting member being attachable toan elongated tube for use in irrigating the colon, and having a closuretherefor which is interchangeable wlth the elongated tube.

The invention contemplates an accessory for the use of colostomypatients which comprises, in combination, an elongated tube for use inirrigating the colon, a relatively short, generally funnel shapedtubular connecting member, adapted to be worn by the patient, normallyhaving its larger end seated on the body of the patient, surrounding theabdominal opening, and having its opposite end removably connected toone end of the elongated tube, and a cap interchangeable with theelongated tube and normally providing a closure for the tubularconnecting member.

The invention further contemplates a structure as described in which theelongated tube has a self closing "valved opening in one side thereof,near its juncture with the tubular connecting member, through which acatheter, for use in irrigating the colon, may be removably inserted.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal view, partly in section taken ona median line, of a tubular connecting member embodying the invention,showing the elongated tube in place;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the tubular connecting member taken at rightangles to the view shown in FIGURE 1, showing the elongated tube removedand showing the cap providing a closure for the tubular connectingmemher in place;

FIGURE 3 is an end view showing the outer end of the tubular connectingmember;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary end view showing the inner end thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one end of a strapwhereby the tubular connecting member is adapted to be secured to thebody of the patient; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary View showing the self closing valved openingof the elongated tube.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the numeral 3,123,674 PatentedMar. 3, 1964 1 designates generally an elongated tube for use inirrigating the colon of colostomy patients. The tube 1 advantageouslymay be formed of molded resilient material, such as soft rubber, and ischaracterized by its flexibility. The tube 1 has an inwardly turnedperipheral bead or lip 2 on one of its ends for use as hereinafterdescribed.

A relatively short, generally funnel shaped tubular connecting member,adapted to be worn by the patient, is indicated generally by the numeral3. The tubular connecting member 3 advantageously may be formed ofmolded resilient material, such as soft rubber, and is characterized byits flexibility. The tubular connecting member 3 is corrugatedcircumferentially intermediate its ends, as at 4, whereby it isextensible longitudinally while at the same time being movable flexiblyin any direction.

The tubular connecting member 3 normally has its larger end seated onthe body of the patient, surrounding the abdominal opening. A cushioningring 5, which advantageously may be formed of sponge rubber, is attachedto the larger end of the tubular connecting member 3 for engagement withthe body of the patient.

The tubular connecting member 3 has an outwardly turned peripheral heador lip 6 on its smaller end which, upon being depressed inwardly, isreceivable in the end of the tube 1 having the inwardly turnedperipheral bead or lip 2 thereon, in interlocking, sealing engagementtherewith.

The head or lip 6 overlaps, and yieldably and frictionally engages thebead or lip 2 and coacts therewith to form a substantially fluid tightjoint connecting the tube 1 to the tubular connecting member 3.

As shown in FIGURE 2, a cap 7, which is interchangeable with theelongated tube 1, is connected to the smaller end of the tubularconnecting member 3. The cap 7 advantageously may be formed of moldedplastic material, and has an inwardly turned peripheral bead or lip 8thereon. The bead or lip 8, which corresponds to the bead or lip 2 ofthe tube 1, is engageable with the head or lip 6 of the tubularconnecting member 3 to form a substantially fluid tight joint connectingthe cap 7 to the tubular connecting member 3.

The cap 7 normally provides a closure for the tubular connecting member3.

The tubular connecting member 3 has a pair of wire loops 9 positioned onopposite sides thereof, near its larger end. A flexible strap 10, whichis adapted to be passed around the body of the patient, and which isshown fragmentan'ly, has a pair of metal hooks 11 attached to itsopposite ends for engagement with the wire loops 9 whereby the tubularconnecting member 3 is secured to the body of the patient.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the elongated tube 1 has a self sealing opening,indicated by the numeral 12, in one side thereof, near its juncture withthe tubular connecting member 3, through which a catheter (not shown),for use in irrigating the colon, may be removably inserted.

As illustrated in FIGURE 6, a flexible flap valve element 13 is attachedto the inner wall of the elongated tube 1, behind the self sealingopening 12. The flap valve element 13 is operable as a check valvewhereby the self sealing opening 12 is adapted to be positively closedin response to fluid pressure within the tube 1.

It is not intended that the invention be necessarily limited to thespecific structure shown and described since it is obvious that certainchanges and modifications thereof may be resorted to, by persons skilledin the art, without departing from the spirit and intent of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What-is claimed is:

An accessory adaptedto be Worn by a colostomy patient, and providing aclosure for the body opening, comprising the combination of a relativelyshort, flexible, extensible bellowsdike tubular conduit; compact in itsretractedt'position, having end portions of relatively greater andvlesser diameter and tapered progressively intermediate its. ends, saidconduit having a cushioning ring on its larger end and having a flexiblebelt removably connected to opposite sides thereof adjacenttits largerend whereby the conduit is removably secured to the body about theopening therein, with the larger end of the conduit in opposing relationto the body, the conduit having an outwardly turned, flexible peripheralbead on its smaller end, and a substantially flat, flexible cap closingthe smaller, end of the conduit, the cap having a peripheral flangeengageable over said bead and terminating in an inwardly turned,flexible peripheral bead extending radially inwardly behind the firstmentioned bead, in yieldable, ifrictional. engagement therewith, wherebythe cap is removably secured to the conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,437,019 Eich MarfZ, 1948' 2,581,319 Baxter Ian. 1, 1952 2,692,597'Carstensen Oct. 26,V1954 2,973,759 Plymale Mar. 7, 1961

